This February 2010 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Aircraft: Piper Saratoga. Injuries: None. Location: Dolan Spring, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: During the airplane’s last annual inspection, which took place five […]
General aviation user fee civility
User fees have reared their head in President Obama’s fiscal year 2013 proposed budget. Longtime General Aviation News columnist Charles Spence wrote about a letter 100 mayors sent to President Obama regarding the budget’s potential $100-per-flight fee. The comments that follow are interesting. Commenter “gbin” says: “I wonder how many of the mayors who signed […]
GAO: NextGen over budget and behind schedule
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After causing the FAA to limp along on 23 temporary funding extensions, Congress finally passed a four-year authorization last month. A question now facing FAA watchers is: Will this steadier funding mean a smoothing of the turbulence the agency has seen in developing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen)? A report […]
Autogas passes the quack test
You know the old adage, right? “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.” This year marks the 30th anniversary since the FAA approved the first STC for the use of autogas in aircraft. Since then, it has enjoyed an excellent track […]
AD issued on Lycoming carburetors
The FAA has issued an airworthiness directive (AD) on carburetors installed on many Lycoming engines. According to a report at EAA.org, the AD targets only 409 carburetors, but 10,700 engines must be inspected to determine if they have one of the defective carbs. Effective date for the AD is March 27, 2012.
Thinking of buying a plane?
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is hosting a free webinar “Aircraft Ownership: Tips on Buying and Owning an Aircraft,” Wednesday, Feb. 29. Hear the first-hand the purchasing experience of an aircraft owner and learn from the ownership tips he will share. Get answers from representatives of AOPA Aircraft Financing Program, AOPA Insurance Agency, AIC […]
Tempest introduces new kits for Bendix magnetos
Tempest has introduced 12 new magneto repair kits for Bendix magnetos — six repair kits and six deluxe repair kits. A repair kit is generally used for 500 hour inspections, where a deluxe repair kit is for major repairs and overhauls, company officials said. All Tempest magneto parts are manufactured under FAA/PMA guidelines and approval […]
ForeFlight launches ForeFlight Manage
ForeFlight has launched ForeFlight Manage, an online portal for individual and business aviation customers that provides access to account information and ForeFlight Mobile pilot and device management tools. ForeFlight Mobile customers can access ForeFlight Manage online. “Our customer base has grown rapidly over the past year,” said Tyson Weihs, co-founder of ForeFlight. “In addition to […]
FAASTeam approves latest CFI forum
The Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) recently delivered another in its series of 12 Seminar-in-a-Box products to the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam), this one focusing on Takeoff and Initial Climb. The seminars are designed to facilitate discussion among instructors, examiners, and FAASTeam members on topics related to flight training and accident prevention, as […]